A Fight For Survival

The 21 Rule

"Okay it all started six years ago" Frank said.

Before he could continue I dragged him down to my fathers office to talk rather than talking in the middle of the corridor. As we walked past the locked room David banged and yelled at the door. I continued walking and ignored him. I had to figure out who this guy was and if I had to shoot him I didn't want anyone to see me do that.

"He must be the boyfriend I'm guessing" Frank said as he saw David.

"Nope" I bluntly replied.

"Yeah maybe you should tell him that kid" He said.

I opened my fathers office door and pushed Frank onto a seat. I sat in front of him with the gun still pointed in his direction.

"You're not as friendly as you look. What's your name kid?" He questioned.

"I'm Elizabeth" I replied.

"As in Elizabeth Smith" He asked excited.

"What's it to you?" I asked.

"I was friends with your dad"

"How come I've never seen you before then? I know all my dad's friends"

"We were strictly work friends. We worked on this project together"

"And what would this project be Frank?"

"We were working on a cure for cancer together and then it backfired on us, turned into a disease that would kill everyone"

"Why aren't you dead then?"

"I left town before the disease got out and went to the government to tell them the bad news and they quickly created a cure hence the reason why I'm not dead. The government sent me here looking for some of your dad's research. They need to create a different cure for people who are already infected and his research can help with that"

"Why didn't my dad leave with you?"

"He wanted to protect you and your siblings. So have you seen any research files while being here?"

"There was nothing when we came here. Someone must've beat us to it"

"Well what about your dad's office at home even your moms?"

"Both were empty. What does my mom have to do with it?"

"She helped us with the disease considering she was amazing at biology"

It was at the moment I realised he was still lying to me. My mom was horrific at biology, she couldn't even help me with my homework. This is the guy dad was talking about in his letter. I knew I had to get my siblings out of here.

"You know what, now that you've mentioned it I think I remember seeing something, wait here and I'll go get it"

He happily agreed and as I left the room I already heard him searching the office for paperwork. I sprinted down the hall and opened up the door to the locked room where my siblings, David and Jacob were.

"I've no time to explain but get all the paperwork packed and get the hell out of here"

"What's happening?" Jacob asked panicked.

"Just do it" I said as I threw it all in a bag making sure to take a piece of paper that was worthless. As I placed the last pile in the bag I rushed them to the exit. "You all need to leave now"

"Not without you" David said.

"Please David I need you to protect them" I replied.

"What about you Elizabeth?" Liam questioned.

"I'll be home soon just go right now!" I quietly said. They all began running down the stairs except David.

"Promise me you'll be safe Elizabeth, I can't do this without you" David said.

"I promise" I replied as I hugged him and pushed him out the door. As I saw him running down the stairs I made my way back to the office.

"What took so long?" Frank questioned.

"Sorry my little sister wouldn't let go of it, she was about to draw on it" I replied handing him the paper.

"This is everything?"

"Yeah"

"You aren't lying to me now Elizabeth are you?"

"No. But I really should get going, I need to make an announcement to the town"

"Okay I'll come with you" I nervously smiled back at him.

We walked down the stairs and I prayed that David had already gotten away in the car. I knew that if they had I would have to run to get away from this guy. We exited the hospital and I saw David had thankfully already left. As Frank walked forward I stopped pretending to fix my shoe and when he wasn't looking I ran as fast as I could into the woods.